As the summer BBQ tour continues and the federal election candidates make the best of the long, hot days on the hustings, the campaign will heat up as September draws closer.
“Crazy season” starts when the partisan faithful try every angle to get the edge on their competition. It’s when democratic debate turns into a bare-knuckle prize fight. Perhaps it’s the most visible symptom of the sickness in our democracy. Rather than a healthy, vigorous (but healthy) exchange of ideas and solutions, it’s an all-out war of words in a last ditch effort to win a majority government on election day.
I’ve been through a couple campaigns now and it’s a personal test. Social media platforms are both super useful engagement tools and supercharged outrage machines that can overwhelm a candidate and campaign team. The bigger the perceived threat by the competition, the larger the target and the more vicious the attacks.
It’s not the best time in our communities. While we should be focussing on the ideas and solutions, the passion and desperation in a campaign can easily become personal.
The stakes are high because power distribution only happens once every four years. Pressure on the party leaders, backroom strategists, pollsters and number crunchers, campaign managers and candidates is intense. Each and every campaign team is staffed with volunteers who are heavily invested in achieving a specific outcome in an ever-decreasing amount of time. The clock is always ticking.
Changing the culture of crazy season
With all of these factors on the field of play, how do we change the nature of the game? How do we continue to inspire and engage as many people in the debate as we can while keeping the focus on ideas and solutions?
It starts with a hopeful message, founded on a clear vision of the future we are working toward and an achievable plan to accomplish it. We have to design an inclusive culture in our campaign teams modelled by the leader and candidates, nurtured by the team leads on the ground in each riding. The priority outcome should be a thoughtful government that looks after the entire spectrum of social, environmental and economic responsibilities of the community, province or country, whatever the case may be.
Finally, our tone is crucial. We need to be able to challenge and critique the proposed ideas and solutions of our competition in a respectful way. How do we do this when time is running out and the pressure is increasing? We need to stay out of the political ditch and in our own lane, demonstrate the value we add to the discussion and commit to changing the culture of campaigning and governing.
Yes, it’s easier to say these words than do it. However, the future of our community, province, country and planet is at stake so it’s worth the effort!
Thanks for the appeal to positivity, Adam, but social media is hardly a positive medium. The attacks on Liz May yesterday show that it is far easier to criticize decisions than to contribute “ideas” to a discussion.
I would like to see the Greens focus on specific issues facing us and offering some simple options to deal with them. Years ago Pacyna and Sokolow offered “climate wedges”… thirteen options each of which took a bite out of the climate problem. Having taught that in a college class, the idea resonates with people who are looking for solutions. You don’t need the one silver bullet. You need a belt of bullets each of which contributes to a solution. And each of which is only marginally onerous to your lifestyle.
My big issue now is recycling and the “wall” that we are hitting with lack of demand for glass, plastic and paper. Landfilling and incineration is not a solution and we need technology development, particularly here on the island, which will open up demand for these materials. How about ideas of what to do with glass? With the recycling companies no longer collecting glass, we are not responding with solutions. And the solution is not just subsidization of pickup of glass.
Hi Raymond. Thank you for your comment. I hope you check out my blog later this week as I will be publishing a piece on the P.A.C.E. financing solution for building retrofits. I certainly appreciate your appeal to finding solutions and I will definitely be putting a much stronger focus on that in coming posts. Adam
This blog is why you .. Adam Olsen are the person and Green Candidate leader I will vote for in the coming BC Provincial Election.
My mind is decided . No stress over strategic voting and as you say …..
When I stay in my lane the media noise quiets. I vote with my heart.
Thank you Gaye!
Wow, Adam. This was an excellent piece that you penned. Shelagh pointed us to it and I’m grateful that she did. I will work hard in this upcoming election to live up to the tenets expressed in your blog post.
Thank you Robyn!
Adam. Great post!